Display apparatus and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

A display apparatus includes: an image processor; a display unit; a remote controller which includes a touch input unit to detect motion of a user; a remote control signal receiver which receives a remote control signal from the remote controller corresponding to the motion of a user; and a controller which displays the content information window as if the content information window enters from an outside of a display area to an inside of the display area in accordance with the motion that a user moves from an outside of an area of the touch input unit to an inside of the area, or stops displaying the content information window as if the content information window exits from the inside of the display area to the outside of the display area in accordance with the motion that a user moves from the inside of the area of the touch input unit to the outside of the touch input unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No.10-2010-0075902, filed on Aug. 6, 2010 in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relateto a display apparatus and a control method thereof, and moreparticularly, to a display apparatus and a control method thereof whichenables a user to search a plurality of channels in a remote place byusing a remote controller.

2. Description of the Related Art

A display apparatus, such as a TV, displays thereon an image based on abroadcasting signal received from a broadcasting station or an imagesignal from an image device such as a digital versatile disc (DVD)(hereinafter, to be called “image signal” collectively).

The image signal may include a broadcasting content, a movie content andother various image contents, and a display apparatus provides a userinterface (UI) menu for a user to conveniently search a desired contentamong the foregoing image contents. Further, the display apparatusincludes a remote controller, through which a user may select an imagecontent more conveniently in a remote place.

However, more and more image contents can be viewed from the displayapparatus recently, and many technologies have been proposed to easilysearch numerous image contents, but still a convenient and useful UImenu has been difficult to attain. Also, the remote controller of thedisplay apparatus typically employs buttons, and searching the numerousimage contents by pushing button by button is very inconvenient.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, one or more exemplary embodiments provide a displayapparatus and a control method thereof which searches image contentsmore conveniently and promptly.

The foregoing and/or other aspects may be achieved by providing adisplay apparatus including: an image processor which processes at leastone image of a plurality of contents; a display unit which displays theimage and a content information window providing information of thecontent; a remote controller which is remote from the display unit andincludes a touch input unit to detect motion of a user; a remote controlsignal receiver which receives a remote control signal from the remotecontroller corresponding to the motion of a user; and a controller whichdisplays the content information window as if the content informationwindow enters from an outside of a screen to an inside of the screen inaccordance with the motion that a user moves from an outside of an areaof the touch input unit to an inside of the area, or ends displaying thecontent information window as if the content information window escapesfrom the inside of the screen to the outside of the screen in accordancewith the motion that a user moves from the inside of the area of thetouch input unit to the outside of the touch input unit.

The remote controller may detect a first touch input of a user, and thecontroller may display on the display unit a user interface (UI) itemfor searching at least one of the plurality of contents that isdetermined on the basis of a first arranging order, and change the UIitem of the displayed content to a UI item of a content moved as much asa movement amount corresponding to the first touch input and displaysthe changed UI item.

The first touch input may include a motion that is performed whilecontacted to the touch input unit.

The movement amount may correspond to a movement distance of the motion.

The movement amount may correspond to a speed of the motion.

The movement amount may include a unit of a page which includes aplurality of contents to be displayed on the display unit at a time.

The UI item of the plurality of contents may be arranged in a grid.

The UI item of the plurality of contents may be arranged in a band.

The UI item may be displayed together with an image of a currentlyselected content.

The remote controller may detect a second touch input to the touch inputunit, and the controller may start or end displaying the UI menu whilean image of the content is displayed corresponding to the second touchinput.

The remote controller may detect a third touch input to the touch inputunit, and the plurality of contents may be classified into a pluralityof categories, and the controller may display the UI menu of a contentbelonging to at least one of the plurality of categories determined onthe basis of a second arranging order, and change a UI menu of thedisplayed content to a UI menu of a content belonging to a categorymoved as much as a movement amount corresponding to the third touchinput and displays the changed UI menu.

The first touch input may correspond to a motion performed in a firstdirection, and the third touch input may correspond to a motionperformed in a second direction that is different from the firstdirection.

The first and second directions may correspond to one of an up and downdirection and a left and right direction, respectively.

The controller may determine a movement of the content and the categorybased on the movement amount in the up and down direction and the leftand right direction by the motion if a touch input of the motion isperformed in a diagonal direction.

An aspect of another exemplary embodiment provides a control method of adisplay apparatus which includes a remote controller, the control methodincluding: detecting motion of a user a touch input unit provided in theremote controller; receiving a remote control signal corresponding tothe motion of a user; and displaying a content information window, whichprovides information about at least one image among the plurality ofcontents, as if the content information window enters from an outside ofa screen to an inside of the screen in accordance with the motion that auser moves from an outside of an area of the touch input unit to aninside of the area, or ending displaying the content information windowas if the content information window escapes from the inside of thescreen to the outside of the screen in accordance with the motion that auser moves from the inside of the area of the touch input unit to theoutside of the touch input unit.

The control method may further include displaying a user interface (UI)item of at least one content that is determined on the basis of a firstarranging order to search the plurality of contents; detecting a user'sfirst touch input by using the touch input unit; receiving a remotecontrol signal corresponding to the first touch input; and changing theUI item of the displayed content to a UI item of a content that moves asmuch as a movement amount corresponding to the first touch input anddisplaying the changed UI item.

The first touch input may include a motion that is performed while beingcontacted to the touch input unit.

The movement amount may correspond to a movement distance of the motion.

The movement amount may correspond to a speed of the motion.

The movement amount may include a unit of a page which includes aplurality of contents to be displayed on the display unit at a time.

The UI item of the plurality of contents may be arranged in a grid.

The UI item of the plurality of contents may be arranged in a band.

The UI item may be displayed together with an image of a currentlyselected content.

The control method may further include: displaying an image of thecontent; detecting a user's second touch input by using the touch inputunit; and starting or ending displaying the UI item while the image isdisplayed corresponding to the second touch input.

The control method may further include displaying the UI item of acontent belonging to at least one of a plurality of categories that isdetermined on the basis of a second arranging order among the pluralityof categories to which the plurality of contents is classified andbelongs; detecting a user's third touch input by using the touch inputunit; and changing the UI item of the displayed content to a UI item ofa content belonging to a category moved as much as a movement amountcorresponding to the third touch input and displaying the changed UIitem.

The first touch input may correspond to a motion that is performed in afirst direction, and the third touch input may correspond to a motionthat is performed in a second direction that is different from the firstdirection.

The first and second directions may correspond to one of up and downdirection and left and right direction, respectively.

The control method may further include: detecting a user's fourth touchinput of a motion performed in a diagonal direction by using the touchinput unit; and determining a movement of the content and the categorybased on each movement amount in the up and down direction and the leftand right direction by the motion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readilyappreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a display apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the display apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a detailed external appearance of a remote controldevice in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates various examples of a touch input by a user through atouch input unit in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a UI menu displayed by the displayapparatus in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 illustrates a movement of a page and category displayed by thedisplay apparatus in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a user's motion commanding a movementof a page and/or a category through the touch input unit in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a movement amount of a page or a categorycorresponding to each of a movement distance and speed of a user'smotion in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 illustrates another example of a user's motion commanding amovement of a page or a category or both through the touch input unit inFIG. 3;

FIG. 11 illustrates details of the movement of the page and the categorycorresponding to the user's motion in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 illustrates a UI menu displayed by the display apparatus inFIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a channel information window displayedby the display apparatus in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate starting a display of the channelinformation window in FIG. 13;

FIGS. 15A and 15B illustrates ending a display of the channelinformation window in FIG. 13; and

FIGS. 16 to 19 are flowcharts of a control method of the displayapparatus according to the exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Below, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with referenceto accompanying drawings so as to be easily realized by a person havingordinary knowledge in the art. The exemplary embodiments may be embodiedin various forms without being limited to the exemplary embodiments setforth herein. Descriptions of well-known parts are omitted for clarity,and like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 illustrates a display apparatus 1 according to an exemplaryembodiment. The display apparatus 1 may include a TV. The displayapparatus 1 includes a display main body 10 to display an image thereon,and a remote control device 20 to control the display main body 10according to a user's manipulation. The remote control device 20 isseparately provided from the display apparatus 1, and transmits a remotecontrol signal to the display main body 10 according to a user'smanipulation, and the display main body 10 performs an operationcorresponding to the remote control signal received from the remotecontrol device 20.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the display apparatus 1 in FIG. 1. Thedisplay main body 10 includes an image signal receiver 11, an imageprocessor 12, a display unit 13, a storage unit 14, a remote controlsignal receiver 15 and a main body controller 16.

The image signal receiver 11 receives an image signal including an imagecontent. The image signal may include an audio content or a datacontent, or both audio and data content, as well as the image content.The image signal which is received by the image signal receiver 11includes a broadcasting signal transmitted by a broadcasting station anda signal input by a predetermined image device. In the case of thebroadcasting signal, the image signal receiver 11 may selectivelyreceive a broadcasting signal from one of a plurality of channels. Thebroadcasting signal includes, for example, an airwave broadcasting, acable broadcasting, a satellite broadcasting and other knownbroadcasting signals. The type of the broadcasting signal includes adigital broadcasting and an analog broadcasting. The image signalreceiver 11 may process the received broadcasting signal to obtain animage content therefrom. The signal processing includes tuning,analog/digital conversion, demodulation and digital/analog conversion.

In the case of an image signal input by an image device, the imagesignal receiver 11 may communicate with the image device transmittingthe image signal, corresponding to a characteristic of the input imagesignal. Such communication includes wired and wireless communications,and analog and digital communications. The communication method includesall types of communications that are known to be used to transmit theimage content. The image device which supplies an image signal to theimage signal receiver 11 is not limited in type, and includes a DVDplayer, a blue-ray disc (BD) player, a PC, a mobile phone, a smartphoneand other TVs. The image signal receiver 11 may process the input imagesignal to obtain an image content therefrom. The processing may includean analog-digital conversion and a digital-analog conversion.

Further, the image signal receiver 11 may receive an image signal from apredetermined server through a network or an image signal from aportable storage device such as a universal serial bus (USB) storagemedium. In each of the above cases, the image signal receiver 11 maycommunicate with a counterpart device in a given manner to receive animage signal.

In any case, the image signal receiver 11 may receive and process theimage signal according to a control of the main body controller 16.

The image processor 12 processes an image content that is obtained fromthe image signal received by the image signal receiver 11 to display theimage content. The image processing includes demultiplexing, decodingand scaling an image, and adjusting and improving a picture quality. Theimage processor 12 may process an image relating to a UI menu for aninterface with a user. The image processor 12 may overlap at least apart of an image of the image content and an image relating to the UImenu or arrange an image by image sequential display.

The display unit 13 displays thereon an image processed by the imageprocessor 12. The method of displaying the image by the display unit 13is not limited, and includes all of known display methods. The displayunit 13 may include an LCD, an OLED, a PDP, a projection or a CRT.

The storage unit 14 stores therein data necessary for an operation ofthe display main body 10. The storage unit 14 includes all types ofnon-volatile memories which are known to store data thereinsemi-permanently. The non-volatile memory may include, e.g., anelectrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a flashmemory and a hard disc drive.

The remote control signal receiver 15 receives a remote control signalthat is transmitted by the remote control device 20. The remote controlsignal receiver 15 may correspond to the characteristic of the remotecontrol signal transmitted by the remote control device 20. Thetransmission method of the remote control signal may include, e.g.,infrared transmission, radio frequency (RF) communication, etc., but isnot limited thereto. Alternatively, the transmission method of theremote control signal may include all types of signal transmissionmethods that are known to be used for a remote control. The remotecontrol signal receiver 15 may process a remote control signal to obtainthe user's input information. The remote control signal receiver 15transmits to the main body controller 16 the received remote controlsignal or the obtained user's input information.

The main body controller 16 controls the display main body 10 as awhole. The main body controller 16 controls elements of the display mainbody 10 according to the user's input information obtained from theremote control signal received by the remote control signal receiver 15.The main body controller 16 may control the image signal receiver 11 toreceive a desired image signal. The main body controller 16 may controlthe image processor 12 to process the image content obtained from theimage signal received by the image signal receiver 11 and may controlthe UI menu. The main body controller 16 may store in the storage unit14 data or read the data stored in the storage unit 14 as necessary forthe above control.

The main body controller 16 may include a non-volatile memory to storetherein an execution code of a computer program corresponding to theforegoing control, a volatile memory to load at least a part of theexecution code stored in the non-volatile memory, and a microprocessorto execute the execution code loaded into the volatile memory.

The display main body 10 may further include other elements (not shown)necessary for the operation of the display apparatus 1. For example, thedisplay main body 10 further include an audio signal receiver, an audiosignal processor and an audio output unit to receive, process and outputan audio signal, respectively, an input pad provided in the display mainbody 10 separately from the remote control device 20 to receive a user'scommand, and a power supply unit to supply power to the elements of thedisplay main body 10.

Hereinafter, the remote control device 20 according to the exemplaryembodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the remote controldevice 20 may include a touch input unit 21, a key input unit 22, aremote control signal transmitter 23 and a remote controller 24. Thetouch input unit 21 receives a user's command as an input motion, forexample a touch motion, and the key input unit 22 identifies whether apreset input is selected by a user's command. The remote controller 24transmits to the display main body 10 information of the user's inputreceived from the touch input unit 21 and the key pad 22 as a remotecontrol signal through the remote control signal transmitter 23. Theremote control signal transmitter 23 transmits a signal corresponding tothe remote control signal receiver 15 of the display main body 10.

FIG. 3 illustrates a detailed external appearance of the touch inputunit 21 and the key input unit 22 of the remote control device 20 inFIGS. 1 and 2. As shown therein, the remote control device 20 furtherincludes a housing 25, wherein the touch input unit 21 is exposed froman area of the housing 25 and the key input unit 22 is exposed fromanother area of the housing 25. The key input unit 22 includes aplurality of buttons, which matches preset key codes including numbersand characters. Numbers and characters (not shown) matching theplurality of buttons may be displayed on a surface of the plurality ofbuttons for the user.

The touch input unit 21 includes a contact surface 211 to be contactedby a part of the user's body. The contact surface 211 in FIG. 3 has arectangular shape, but not limited thereto. Alternatively, the contactsurface 211 includes a circular, an elliptical shape and other types ofpolygonal shapes.

The remote control device 20 according to the present exemplaryembodiment may be gripped by a user's hand, and a thumb contacts thecontact surface 211 as a representative example, as shown in FIG. 3.However, the contact between the contact surface 211 and a user's bodyis not limited to the foregoing, and may vary. The touch input unit 21detects a motion of a user's finger 30 on the contact surface 211(hereinafter, to be also called “touch input”) and transmits thedetection result to the remote controller 24.

FIG. 4 illustrates various examples of a user's touch input by using thetouch input unit 21 in FIG. 3. Likewise, the touch input in FIG. 4includes a touch input by the user's hand, finger, or fingers, but isnot limited thereto.

As shown therein, the user's touch input by using the touch input unit21 may include: touching a temporary point of the contact surface 211,as shown in (a) of FIG. 4; moving in a predetermined direction along thecontact surface 211 while contacting the contact surface 211, as shownin (b) of FIG. 4; widening a gap between fingers contacting the contactsurface 211 by using at least two fingers, as shown in (c) of FIG. 4;narrowing down the gap between fingers contacting the contact surface211 by using at least two fingers, as shown in (d) of FIG. 4; contactingand rotating a finger centering on a point where another finger contactsthe contact surface 211, as shown in (e) of FIG. 4; relatively rotatingcontact points of two fingers, as shown in (f) of FIG. 4; and rotatingat least two fingers contacting the contact surface 211, as shown in (g)of FIG. 4.

The main body controller 16 of the display main body 10 performs acontrol operation corresponding to a user's touch input using the touchinput unit 21 of the remote control device 20. For example, the mainbody controller 16 may: start or end displaying the UI menucorresponding to a touch input as in (a) of FIG. 4; focus a cursor or ahighlight on the UI menu, or select an item, move the cursor or thehighlight corresponding to a touch input as in (b) of FIG. 4; change apage of the UI menu, move an image itself and display anotherundisplayed part of the image, drag and change a position of the UImenu, enlarge or reduce an image corresponding to a touch input as in(c) or (d) of FIG. 4; and rotate an image corresponding to a touch inputas in (e), (f) or (g) of FIG. 4.

Hereinafter, searching the image content by using the display apparatus1 according to the exemplary embodiment will be described. The imagecontent which may be searched by the display apparatus 1 may include,e.g., a broadcasting content, a movie content, a photo, a video, etc.,but is not limited thereto. As described above, the content which a usermay search by using the display apparatus 1 is not limited to the imagecontent, and may vary including an audio content and a data content.Hereinafter, all types of contents which the display apparatus 1 mayprovide is called “contents” collectively.

It is assumed that the display apparatus 1 according to the exemplaryembodiment provides contents through a received broadcasting signal of aplurality of channels. The display apparatus 1 may be connected to atleast one image device, and receive additional contents through an imagesignal input by the connected image device. Further, the displayapparatus 1 may store another content in the storage unit 14 and receivethe content stored in the storage unit 14.

The display apparatus 1 uses a UI menu to conveniently search content tobe provided through various routes as described above. FIG. 5illustrates an example of a UI menu 131 displayed by the displayapparatus 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The main body controller 16 controls theimage processor 12 to display the UI menu 131 through the display unit13.

As shown in FIG. 5, the UI menu 131 includes a plurality of UI items 132(only fifteen of the plurality of UI items 132 are depicted)corresponding to each of the plurality of contents to be provided. Theplurality of UI items 132 are divided into a plurality of groups of UIitems 140. FIG. 5 illustrates one of the groups of the UI items 140 thatare arranged in a grid, but the arrangement is not limited thereto andmay vary. The plurality of UI items 132 may display information of thecontent, e.g. a channel number 133, a channel name 134, and a tile 135of the content. The information of the contents may include a thumbnailimage of the contents (not shown). For convenience, FIG. 5 does notillustrate information of contents with respect to some of the pluralityof UI items 132.

A user may search and select a desired content by using the plurality ofUI items 132. The main body controller 16 highlights one of theplurality of UI items 132 for a user to select one of the plurality ofUI items 132 (Refer to FIG. 5). The main body controller 16 may move ahighlight 136 to another of the plurality of UI items 132 according to auser's command by using the key input unit 22 or the touch input unit 21of the remote control device 20, and a user may select the content ofone of the plurality of UI items 132 when a desired one of the pluralityof UI items 132 is highlighted.

The contents which may be displayed at one tile are a part of all thecontents to be provided by the display apparatus 1. In consideration ofthe circumstances where all of the contents may not be displayed in ascreen, the display apparatus 1 displays one of the groups of UI items140 at one time (hereinafter, to be called “page”) corresponding to asmuch contents as may be displayed on the screen. The UI menu 131 mayinclude information 137 and 138 of the page to which the currentlydisplayed group of UI items 140 of the plurality of items 132 belongs.The reference numeral 137 refers to the second page of all seven pages,and the reference numeral 138 refers to a bar indicator.

Further, the display apparatus 1 may classify all of the contents bycategory, and display the plurality of UI items 132 of the contents bycategory. The category may include, e.g., entire channels, a TV input, aradio input, or an external input (corresponding to a content from animage device). The UI menu 131 may include information 139 of a categoryto which the contents of the currently displayed group of UI items ofthe plurality of UI items 132 belong.

According to a user's command, the main body controller 16 may changethe currently displayed group of UI items 140 to display another groupof UI items 140 corresponding to contents belonging to a page other thanthe current page or contents belonging to a category other than thecurrent category. A user's command may be input by the key input unit 22or the touch input unit 21 corresponding to the change of the page orcategory (hereinafter, to be also called “movement”). For example, thekey input unit 22 includes four buttons arranged up and down and leftand right, and a movement between categories may occur when the buttonsarranged up and down are pushed, and a movement between pages may occurwhen the buttons arranged left and right are pushed. To determinecontent to be newly displayed when there is a movement between the pagesor categories or both pages and categories, the display apparatus 1 hasthe order of the categories and order of contents belonging to onecategory set in advance according to a predetermined standard.Accordingly, the main body controller 16 determines a content to bedisplayed by referring to the order and displays one of the groups of UIitems 140 corresponding to the determined content upon receiving auser's command for the movement between the pages or categories or both.FIG. 6 illustrates detailed movements of pages and categories. The groupof UI items 140 expressed in a solid line in FIG. 6 refers to acurrently displayed page and category, and the groups of UI items 140expressed in dotted lines refer to a previous or next page or previousor next category. The reference numerals written in circles in thegroups of UI items 140 refer to the arranging order of the pages orcategories. For example, the movement between pages occurs in thearranging order of 21, 22 and 23, and the movement between thecategories occurs in the arranging order of 12, 22 and 32. As shown inFIG. 5, the UI menu 131 may further include information 139 a and 139 bwhich inform in advance next or previous categories.

Also, the movement between the pages or categories or both may beperformed by a user's motion using the touch input unit 21. FIG. 7illustrates an example of a user's motion commanding a movement ofpages, categories, or both using the touch input unit 21. FIG. 7illustrates a movement of a user's finger 30 as a user's motion, but theuser's motion is not limited thereto.

As shown therein, a user may move a finger up and down, and left andright (refer to arrows, and the reference numerals 30 a, 30 b, 30 c and30 d in FIG. 7) while contacting the contact surface 211 of the touchinput unit 21 with the finger. The main body controller 16 may determinethe movement to a next or previous page or a movement to a next orprevious category depending on a direction of the user's motion on thecontact surface 211, and may change and display one of the groups UIitems 140 corresponding to the determination. According to the presentexemplary embodiment, a movement between the categories may be performedwith respect to the up and down motion 30 c and 30 d, and a movementbetween the pages may be performed with respect to the left and rightmotion 30 a and 30 b, but are not limited thereto. Alternatively, themovement may vary. Accordingly, in the display apparatus 1 according tothe exemplary embodiment, a user may promptly and conveniently search anumber of contents by an intuitive and simple manipulation of the touchinput unit 21.

The main body controller 16 may determine a movement amount of the pagesor categories or both corresponding to a user's motion on the contactsurface 211 of the touch input unit 21. Specific factors which determinethe foregoing movement amount include, e.g., a movement distance andspeed of a user's motion on the contact surface 211. FIGS. 8 and 9illustrate a movement amount of pages corresponding to each of themovement distance and speed of a user's motion. Like in FIG. 6, thegroup of UI items 140 which is expressed in solid lines in FIGS. 8 and 9refers to a currently displayed page, and the two groups of UI items 140which are expressed in a dotted line in FIGS. 8 and 9 refer to nextpages. The reference numerals written in circles on the groups of UIitems 140 refer to the arranging order of the pages (the order of 1, 2and 3). FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate only the movement between pages, but itshould be noted that this may also apply to the movement betweencategories.

Referring to FIG. 8, motions on the touch input unit 21 in two cases areillustrated in a lower side in FIG. 8, and it is assumed that themotions in two cases are performed in the right direction (i.e., a groupof UI items 140 moves to a next page corresponding thereto). Referencenumerals 30 e and 30 f in the left bottom in FIG. 8 refer to a locationof a user's finger corresponding to a starting point and an ending pointof a smaller motion, and reference numerals 30 g and 30 h in the rightbottom in FIG. 8 refer to a location of a user's finger corresponding toa starting point and an ending point of a larger motion. That is, theformer corresponds to a shorter movement distance of the motion, and thelatter corresponds to a longer movement distance of the motion. The mainbody controller 16 may determine the movement amount so that the pagemoves further when the movement distance of the motion is longer thanwhen the movement distance of the motion is shorter. For example, whilethe group of UI items 140 of the page with the arranging order of 1 arebeing displayed, the main body controller 16 may change the currentlydisplayed group of UI items 140 to the group of UI items 140 of the pagewith the arranging order of 2 corresponding to the shorter movementdistance of the motion. The main body controller 16 may change thecurrently displayed group of UI items 140 to the group of UI items 140of a page with an arranging order of 3 arranged after the arrangingorder of 2 corresponding to a longer movement distance of the motion.

In another example, referring to FIG. 9, motions on the touch input unit21 in two cases are illustrated in a lower side in FIG. 9, and it isassumed that the motions in two cases are performed in the rightdirection (i.e., a group of UI items 140 move to a next pagecorresponding thereto). Reference numerals 30 i and 30 j in the leftbottom in FIG. 9 refer to a location of a user's finger corresponding toa starting point and an ending point of a slower motion, and referencenumerals 30 k and 301 in the right bottom in FIG. 9 refer to a locationof a user's finger corresponding to a starting point and an ending pointof a faster motion. That is, the former corresponds to a slower motionspeed, and the latter corresponds to a faster motion speed. The mainbody controller 16 may determine the movement amount so that the pagemoves further when the motion speed is faster than when the motion speedis slower. For example, while the group of UI items 140 of the page withthe arranging order of 1 is being displayed, the main body controller 16may change the currently displayed group UI items 140 to the group of UIitems 140 of the page with the arranging order of 2 corresponding to theslower motion speed. The main body controller 16 may change thecurrently displayed group of UI items 140 to the group of UI items 140of a page with an arranging order of 3 arranged after the arrangingorder of 2 corresponding to a faster motion speed.

In any case, the movement amount of the page corresponding to one-timemotion is not specifically limited, and only one page or several pagesmay move depending on the degree of a user's motion. Accordingly, in thedisplay apparatus 1 according to the exemplary embodiment, a user maypromptly and conveniently search numerous contents only by a user'sintuitive and simple motion on the touch input unit 21.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, a display apparatus 1 according to anotherexemplary embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 illustrates anotherexample of a user's motion commanding a movement of pages and categoriesby using the touch input unit 21. As shown therein, a user's motioncommanding the movement of the page, category, or both page and categoryis not limited to up and down and left and right directions, and mayinclude a diagonal direction (refer to arrows, and reference numerals 30m, 30 n, 30 o and 30 p in FIG. 10). If it is determined that a user'smotion is performed in a diagonal direction, the main body controller 16may take such motion as a combination of a motion in the left and rightdirection, e.g., a horizontal direction, and a motion in the up and downdirection, e.g., a vertical direction, and may determine a movementamount of each of the page and category corresponding thereto. Forexample, if a user's motion is performed in a diagonal direction towardan upper right side 30 n, the main body controller 106 may change todisplay the group of UI items 140 of a next page and a previouscategory. FIG. 11 illustrates a detailed movement of the page andcategory corresponding to the user's motion in FIG. 10. A group of UIitems 140 which is expressed in solid lines in FIG. 11 refers to acurrently displayed page and category, and the groups of UI items 140which are expressed in dotted lines refers to a previous or next page orprevious or next category. Reference numerals written in circles in thegroups of UI items 140 refer to an arranging order of the page orcategory. For example, a movement between pages may occur in thearranging order of 11 and 13 or 31 and 33, and a movement betweencategories may occur in an arranging order of 11 and 31, or 13 and 33.

Hereinafter, the display apparatus 1 according to another exemplaryembodiment will be described. The display apparatus 1 may provide asimple UI menu to search another channel while a user views a certaincontent (hereinafter, to be also called “channel”). FIG. 12 illustratesa simple UI menu according to the exemplary embodiment. A referencenumeral 1311 in FIG. 12 refers to an image of a currently viewedchannel, and a reference numeral 1312 refers to a simple UI menu for achannel search. As shown therein, the simple UI menu 1312 includes aplurality of UI items 1313, each of which displays information ofchannels such as a channel name and a channel number. The plurality ofUI items 1313 are arranged in a 3D band, e.g., are overlapping in astep-wise arrangement, and one UI item of the plurality of UI items 1313which corresponds to a currently viewed channel is located foremost.

Displaying the simple UI menu 1312 may start or end by a user's commandwhile a user views an image 1311 of the channel. For example, if a usertouches as in (a) of FIG. 3 through the touch input unit 21 whileviewing the image 1311 of the channel, the UI menu 1312 may start beingdisplayed. If a user touches again as in (a) of FIG. 3 while the UI menu1312 is displayed, the UI menu 1312 may end, i.e., stop, beingdisplayed.

The plurality of UI items 1313 may be changed and displayed by a user'scommand. For example, in the case of an input in a downward direction, achannel 781 that is located foremost moves a step below and at the sametime a channel 412, which was one step below the channel 781, moves tothe foremost location. In this case, a background image 1311 may bechanged to the channel 412 at the same time. The change of the channelmay be performed by a user's command using the key input unit 22 or thetouch input unit 21. Particularly, the main body controller 16 maydetermine the movement amount of the plurality of UI items 1313according to a user's motion on the touch input unit 21. In this case,the user's motion may be performed in an up and down direction. Themovement amount of the plurality of the UI items 1313 according to thepresent exemplary embodiment may be the same as that in the foregoingexemplary embodiment, and thus the detailed description will be omitted.

The channel which is displayed through the plurality of UI items 1313may be classified into a predetermined category, which is changed anddisplayed by a user's command. The UI menu 1312 may display information1314 of a category to which a current channel belongs. The main bodycontroller 16 may change the category of the plurality of UI items 1313according to a user's motion on the touch input unit 21. In this case,the user's motion may be performed in a left and right direction. Thechange and movement amount of the category of the plurality of UI items1313 according to the present exemplary embodiment are the same as thoseaccording to the foregoing exemplary embodiment, and the detaileddescription will be omitted. In the display apparatus 1 according to theexemplary embodiment, a user may conveniently and promptly searchanother channel while viewing a channel with an intuitive and simplemotion on the touch input unit 21.

Referring to FIGS. 13 to 15, a display apparatus 1 according to anotherexemplary embodiment will be described. The display apparatus 1 maydisplay a channel information window to provide channel informationwhile a user views an image of a certain channel. FIG. 13 illustratestwo examples of a channel information window 1315 according to theexemplary embodiment. As shown therein, the channel information window1315 is shaped like a rectangle, i.e., a window, and may overlap a partof an image 1311 of the channel. The channel information window 1315 mayinclude information of other channels, a viewing history and othervarious channel information as well as a currently viewed channel.

Starting and ending the display of the channel information window 1315may be performed by a user's motion on the touch input unit 21. FIGS.14A and 14B illustrate starting a display of the channel informationwindow 1315 according to the exemplary embodiment. FIGS. 15A and 15Billustrate ending, or stopping, the display of the channel informationwindow 1315. Referring to FIG. 14B, a user's motion on the touch inputunit 21 is illustrated in a left side in FIG. 14B to start displayingthe channel information window 1315. Reference numerals 30 q and 30 rrefer to a location of a user's finger corresponding to a starting pointand an ending point of the motion when the channel information window1315 is displayed. As shown therein, a user's finger moves from a rightcorner 21 a, or right edge, of the touch input unit 21 to the inside ofthe touch input unit as if it enters thereinto. The main body controller16 may display the channel information window 1315 as if the window 1315enters from the right corner of the screen to the inside thereof if itis determined that a user's motion is performed during the viewing ofthe channel image 1311 as shown in a left side in FIG. 14B (refer toreference numerals 1315 a, 1315 b and 1315 c in FIGS. 14A and 14B).

Referring to FIGS. 15A and 15B, a user's motion on the touch input unit21 is illustrated in a left side in FIG. 15B to end, or stop, displayingthe channel information window 1315. Reference numerals 30 s and 30 trefer to a location of a user's finger corresponding to a starting pointand an ending point of the motion when the display of the channelinformation window 1315 ends. As shown therein, a user's finger movesfrom an inside of the touch input unit 21 to the right corner 21 a ofthe touch input unit 21 as if it escapes, or exits, therefrom. The mainbody controller 16 may end displaying the channel information window1315 as if the window 1315 escapes, or exits, from the inside of thescreen to the right corner of the screen if it is determined that auser's motion is performed during the display of the channel informationwindow 1315 as shown in a left side in FIG. 15B (refer to referencenumerals 1315 d, 1315 e and 1315 f in FIGS. 15A and 15B).

In the foregoing exemplary embodiments, the channel information window1315 enters into or exits from the right corner of the screen, but themovement is not limited thereto, and may vary. As above, in the displayapparatus 1 according to the exemplary embodiment, a user mayconveniently use the channel information with his/her intuitive andsimple motion on the touch input unit 21.

Hereinafter, a control method of the display apparatus 1 according tothe exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 to19. Referring to FIG. 16, the main body controller 16 controls the imagesignal receiver 11 to receive an image signal of a channel selected by auser, and controls the image processor 12 to display an image on thedisplay unit 13 based on the image signal received by the image signalreceiver 11 (1601).

The main body controller 16 determines whether a user's touch input isperformed by using the touch input unit 21 while a user views the imageof the channel (1602). If the user's touch input is not performed byusing the touch input unit 21 (No at operation 1602), the main bodycontroller 16 performs the operation 1601 again. If the user's touchinput is performed by using the touch input unit 21 (Yes at operation1602), the main body controller 16 displays the UI menu 131 or 1312(refer to FIGS. 5 and 12) to search the channel while displaying theimage (1603). The main body controller 16 performs the channel search byusing the UI menu 131 or 1312 by a user's command.

The main body controller 16 determines whether a user's touch input isperformed by using the touch input unit 21 while displaying the UI menu131 or 1312 (1604). If the user's touch input is not performed by usingthe touch input unit 21 (No at operation 1604), the main body controller16 performs the operation 1603 again. If the user's touch input isperformed by using the touch input unit 21 (Yes at operation 1604), themain body controller 16 ends displaying the UI menu 131 or 1312 (1605).The main body controller 16 determines whether to continue to performthe operation (1606), and returns to the operation 1601 if it isdetermined to continue to perform the operation (Yes at operation 1606),and ends the operation if it is determined not to continue the operation(No at operation 1606).

Referring to FIG. 17, the control method of the display apparatus 1 willbe described. The display main body 10 displays the UI menu 131 or 1312to search the channel by a user's command (1701). The remote controldevice 20 detects a user's motion on the touch input unit 21 (1702). Thedisplay main body 10 receives the remote control signal corresponding tothe user's motion from the remote control device 20 (1703). Then, thedisplay main body 10 determines the movement amount of the page,category, or both page and category of the group of UI items 140 or ofthe one UI item 1313 corresponding to the user's motion, and changes thecurrently displayed group of UI items 140 or the one UI item 1313 to thegroup of UI items 140 or the one UI item 1313 of the page and categorymoved to based on the determined movement amount, and displays the newpage and category of the group of UI items 140 or the one UI item 1313(1704).

The operation 1704 in FIG. 17 will be described in more detail withreference to FIG. 18. The main body controller 16 analyzes the user'smotion and identifies the direction of the motion (1801). If it isdetermined at operation 1801 that the motion is performed in the leftand right direction (Yes at operation 1802), the main body controller 16moves the page of the group of UI items 140 or the one UI item 1313based on the movement amount corresponding to the motion, and displaysthe group of UI items 140 or the one UI item 1313 (1803). If it isdetermined at operation 1801 that the motion is not performed in theleft and right direction (No at operation 1802), but is performed in theup and down direction (Yes at operation 1804), the main body controller16 moves the category of the group of UI items 140 or of the one UI item1313 based on the movement amount corresponding to the motion anddisplays the new category of the group of UI items 140 or of the one UIitem 1313 (1805). If the direction of the motion is not the left andright direction nor the up and down direction (No at operation 1804),the main body controller 16 determines whether to continue to performthe operation (1806), and returns to the operation 1801 if it isdetermined to continue to perform the operation (Yes at operation 1806),and ends the operation if it is determined not to continue the operation(No at operation 1806). According to the present exemplary embodiment,the direction of the motion is considered the left and right directionand the up and down direction, but the direction is not limited thereto,and may further include the diagonal direction as described withreference to FIGS. 10 and 11.

Another control method of the display apparatus 1 will be described withreference to FIG. 17. The display apparatus 1 displays an image based onan image signal of the channel selected by a user (1901). The displayapparatus 1 detects a user's touch input by using the touch input unit21 while displaying the image (1902). If it is determined at operation1902 that the touch input does not include a motion performed from acorner, or edge, of the touch input unit 21 to an inside thereof (No atoperation 1903), the operation 1901 is performed again. If the touchinput includes a motion performed from the corner of the touch inputunit 21 to the inside thereof (Yes at operation 1903), the displayapparatus 1 displays the channel information window 1315 as if thewindow 1315 enters into the screen while displaying the image (1904).

The display apparatus 1 detects the user's touch input by using thetouch input unit 21 while displaying the image (1905). If it isdetermined at operation 1905 that the touch input does not include amotion performed from the inside of the touch input unit 21 to thecorner, or edge, thereof (No at operation 1906), the operation 1905 isperformed again. If the touch input includes the motion from the insideof the touch input unit 21 to the corner or edge thereof (Yes atoperation 1906), the display apparatus 1 ends displaying the channelinformation window 1315 as if the window 1315 exits from the screen toan outside thereof (1904). The display apparatus 1 determines whether tocontinue to perform the operation (1908), and returns to the operation1901 if it is determined to continue to perform the operation (Yes atoperation 1908), and ends the operation if it is determined not tocontinue the operation (No at operation 1908).

As described above, a display apparatus and a control method thereofaccording to the exemplary embodiments enable a user to search a desiredimage content more conveniently and promptly.

Although a few exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, itwill be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be madein these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles andspirit of the inventive concept, the range of which is defined in theappended claims and their equivalents.

1. A display apparatus comprising: an image processor which processes animage of at least one of a plurality of contents; a display unit whichdisplays the image and a content information window comprisinginformation of the at least one of the plurality of contents; a remotecontroller which is remote from the display unit and comprises a touchinput unit to detect a motion of a user; a remote control signalreceiver which receives a remote control signal from the remotecontroller corresponding to the motion of the user; and a controllerwhich starts displaying the content information window when the motionof the user moves from an outside of the touch input unit to an insideof the touch input unit, and which stops displaying the contentinformation window when the motion of the user moves from the inside ofthe touch input unit to the outside of the touch input unit.
 2. Thedisplay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remote controllerdetects a first touch input of the user, and wherein the controllergroups a plurality of user interface (UI) items representing theplurality of contents into a plurality of pages comprising groups of theplurality of contents, and arranges the plurality of pages according toa first order, and displays on the display unit one page of theplurality of pages, and wherein the controller changes the one pagewhich is displayed to display another page of the plurality of pages,the other page being arranged in the first order a number of pages awayfrom the one page, wherein the number of pages is based on a movementamount corresponding to the first touch input.
 3. The display apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the first touch input comprises the motionthat is performed while the user maintains contact with the touch inputunit.
 4. The display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein themovement amount corresponds to a movement distance of the motion.
 5. Thedisplay apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the movement amountcorresponds to a speed of the motion.
 6. The display apparatus accordingto claim 3, wherein the movement amount comprises a unit of the page. 7.The display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the group of the UIitems of at least the one page are arranged in a grid.
 8. The displayapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the group of the UI items of atleast the one page are arranged in a band.
 9. The display apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the one page is displayed together withthe image of a currently selected content from among the groups.
 10. Thedisplay apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the remote controllerdetects a second touch input received at the touch input unit, and thecontroller starts or ends displaying the content information windowwhile the image of at least one of the plurality of contents isdisplayed corresponding to the second touch input.
 11. The displayapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the remote controller detects athird touch input received at the touch input unit, wherein theplurality of contents are classified into a plurality of categories,wherein the controller arranges the plurality of categories according toa second order, and displays a group of contents of the plurality ofcontents belonging to at least one category of the plurality ofcategories, wherein the controller changes displaying of the group ofcontents belonging to the at least one category to display another groupof contents of the plurality of contents belonging to another one of theplurality of categories, the other group of contents belonging to theother category being arranged in the second order a number of groupsaway from the one group belonging to the one category, wherein thenumber of groups is based on a movement amount corresponding to thethird touch input.
 12. The display apparatus according to claim 11,wherein the first touch input corresponds to a motion performed in afirst direction, and the third touch input corresponds to a motionperformed in a second direction that is different from the firstdirection.
 13. The display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein thefirst and second directions correspond to one of an up direction and adown direction and a left direction and a right direction, respectively.14. The display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein if the touchinput of the motion is performed in a diagonal direction, the controllerdetermines the movement amount of the one page and the one categorybased on a component of the movement amount in the up and down directionand a component of the movement amount in the left and right directionof the motion.
 15. A control method of a display apparatus whichcomprises a remote controller, the control method comprising: detectinga motion of a user on a touch input unit disposed on the remotecontroller; receiving a remote control signal corresponding to themotion of the user; and displaying a content information window, whichcomprises information about an image of at least one content among aplurality of contents, wherein the displaying starts the displaying ofthe content information window when the motion of the user moves from anoutside of the touch input unit to an inside of the touch input unit,and stops the displaying of the content information window when themotion of the user moves from the inside of the touch input unit to theoutside of the touch input unit.
 16. The control method according toclaim 15, further comprising: grouping a plurality of user interface(UI) items representing the plurality of contents into a plurality ofpages, and arranging the plurality of pages according to a first order;displaying at least one page of the plurality of pages; detecting afirst touch input of the user received by the touch input unit;receiving a remote control signal corresponding to the first touchinput; and changing the displaying of the at least one page to displayanother page of the plurality of pages, the other page being arranged inthe first order a number of pages away from the one page, wherein thenumber of pages is based on a movement amount corresponding to the firsttouch input.
 17. The control method according to claim 16, wherein thefirst touch input comprises the motion that is performed while the usermaintains contact with the touch input unit.
 18. The control methodaccording to claim 17, wherein the movement amount corresponds to amovement distance of the motion.
 19. The control method according toclaim 17, wherein the movement amount corresponds to a speed of themotion.
 20. The control method according to claim 17, wherein themovement amount comprises a unit of the plurality of pages whichcomprises the plurality of contents to be displayed on the display unitat a time.
 21. The control method according to claim 16, wherein in theone page, the plurality of contents are arranged in a grid.
 22. Thecontrol method according to claim 16, wherein in the one page, theplurality of contents are arranged in a band.
 23. The control methodaccording to claim 16, wherein the one page is displayed together withthe image of a currently selected content from among the plurality ofcontents.
 24. The control method according to claim 16, furthercomprising: displaying the image of the at least one content; detectinga second touch input of a user received by the touch input unit; andstarting or ending the displaying of the content information windowwhile the image is displayed, the starting or ending corresponding tothe second touch input.
 25. The control method according to claim 16,further comprising: displaying a group of contents of the plurality ofcontents which belongs to at least one category of a plurality ofcategories; arranging the plurality of categories according to a secondorder; detecting a third touch input of the user received by the touchinput unit; and changing the displaying of the group of contentsbelonging to the at least one category to display another group ofcontents of the plurality of contents belonging to another category, theother group of contents belonging to the other category being arrangedin the second order a number of groups away from the one group ofcontents belonging to the one category, wherein the number of groups isbased on a movement amount corresponding to the third touch input. 26.The control method according to claim 25, wherein the first touch inputcorresponds to the motion that is performed in a first direction, andthe third touch input corresponds to the motion that is performed in asecond direction that is different from the first direction.
 27. Thecontrol method according to claim 26, wherein the first and seconddirections correspond to one of an up direction and a down direction anda left direction and a right direction, respectively.
 28. The controlmethod according to claim 27, further comprising: detecting a fourthtouch input of the user, the fourth touch input comprising the motionperformed in a diagonal direction by using the touch input unit; anddetermining a movement amount of the one page and the one category basedon a component of the movement amount in the up and down direction and acomponent of the movement amount the left and right direction of themotion.
 29. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thestarting of the displaying moves the content information window into adisplay area of the display unit so that the content information windowappears to enter the display area from an outside of the display area toan inside of the display area, and the stopping of the displaying movesthe content information window out of the display area so that thecontent information window appears to exit the display area from theinside of the display area to the outside of the display area.
 30. Themethod according to claim 15, wherein the starting of the displayingmoves the content information window into a display area so that thecontent information window appears to enter the display area from anoutside of the display area to an inside of the display area, and thestopping of the displaying moves the content information window out ofthe display area so that the content information window appears to exitthe display area from the inside of the display area to the outside ofthe display area.
 31. A control method of a display apparatus, themethod comprising: categorizing a plurality of items into a plurality ofcategories; dividing the plurality of items in at least one of thecategories into a plurality of groups of items; displaying on a displayscreen one group of items of the plurality of groups of items; receivinga motion input from a user; switching the one group of items which isdisplayed to display another group of items of the plurality of groupsof items corresponding to the one category if the motion input is in afirst direction; and switching the one group of items which is displayedto display another group of items of the plurality of groups of itemscorresponding to another one of the categories, if the motion input isin a second direction different from the first direction.